Final astronomy event at McCloud on Saturday

McCloud Nature Center will be having its last astronomy program of the year on Saturday, Oct. 20 beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Expert sky watchers from The Indiana Astronomical Society will pair with Hendricks County Parks and Recreation naturalists at McCloud for the event.

The event is free and will help beginners find their way around the night sky by learning how a telescope works and how to recognize constellations, planets, galaxies and nebulae.

It will begin with an outdoor informational session lasting about 30 minutes followed by night sky viewing through a limited number of binoculars and telescopes provided. Attendants can also choose to bring their own.

Astronomy programs are dependent on clear skies and will be canceled if bad weather is forecasted. Call the McCloud Nature Center at 676-5437 before 5 p.m. on Saturday if cloudy skies are prominent.

McCloud Nature Park is operated by Hendricks County Parks and Recreation and is located five minutes sound of North Salem at 9519 N. Hughes Rd. Admission is always free and the park is open from dawn to dusk daily.

The Nature Center's hours are Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.

For more information on McCloud Nature Park and park programs, call Hendricks County Parks and Recreation at (317) 718-6188 or visit the website at hendrickscountyparks.org.